Snack Attack

I was a thief. The first time was remarkably easy, then came a second, third time, and then it became a pattern. The object of my desire was always the same, the coveted “Coffee Crisp” candy bar.

When I was 8 years old, my parents bought an Hungarian restaurant when they were trying to make a new life in Canada. It was a very bad idea, but made worse when their friends with whom they were going to be partners, backed out on the contract signing day. That left my parents to run this new enterprise all on their own, with neither of them having experience in any kind of business. But, back to my introduction to crime. They would bring me and my brother to the restaurant early in the morning while they got the place ready to serve their customers. Then, when it was time for Dad to take us to school, I would make my move and sneak over to the glass case of candies and slip a Coffee Crisp into my school bag on our way out the door. Is it really that bad if you stole from your parents? In hindsight I suppose I knew that missing candy bars were the least of their problems.

Their business venture didn’t last a year, thank goodness, but I saw first hand what hard work is. My Mom was at the restaurant all day and night, my Dad was also in the symphony orchestra so he’d be gone during rehearsals and also for performances. I have a memory of my Dad mopping the floors in his formal wear having just come back from a performance.

I recently came clean about stealing those Coffee Crisps to my Mom. She just laughed, so the guilt I have carried all these years was wasted. As is often the case with guilt.

So now that I am a reformed criminal and no longer need to steal my snacks, I make my own treat with these Superfoods:Maca – This root from Peru has lots of nutrients, but its mainly known for increasing cognitive function, libido, and energy levels. It is also known as an adaptogen which means it helps the bring the body into balance. For instance, when the body in under stress, maca helps support the adrenal glands to deal with the stress.Coconut oil – This oil contains 50 % lauric acid which is in mother’s milk and is full of nutrients. When lauric acid is the body, monolaurin is formed, this compound is a powerful fighter against bacteria, viruses and fungus. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, but because it contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), it is metabolized differently than long-chained fatty acids which are found in animal fats. MCTs do not get stored as fat, but go straight to the liver to be used immediately as energy.Almond butter – Good source of vitamin B’s, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc. It also contains some Omega 3’s. The B’s and magnesium both help with feeling calm and collected because they help the body produce serotonin, which is sometimes called the happy hormone. Serotonin affects many functions of the body like, sleep, appetite, aging, and memory, just to name some.

This particular recipe is helpful for busting those cravings for sweets in the mid afternoon, but I really love this dip because it helps me feel calm and overcome any stress. Recently, I’ve been reading a book called The Adrenal Fatigue Solution by Fawne Hansen, which is a very indepth book on the cause of stress on our bodies. I highly recommend it!

Because my healthy snack (essentially a dip) is so uplifting, I’m calling it – Dippity Do!

Dippity Do! Makes 2 servingsIngredients:

1 t maca

2 T almond butter (or any other nut butter of choice)

1 T coconut oil

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together.

Serve with pretzels (Gluten Free are the ones I had on hand) or banana chips, apple slices, crackers. You could also add some chopped dark chocolate into the dip.